Dual writing instrument

ABSTRACT

There is herein disclosed a dual-purpose writing device having a main, central body with opened ends therein, adapted to removably receive end bodies, one of the end bodies being provided with a bore in which is disposed a retractable ink cartridge, the second end body being provided with a cavity adapted to become a chamber for storing of writing fluid when a felt writing tip is disposed within the opened end thereof. The device is also provided with a cap member designed to fit as a cover over either end body.

United States Patent 1191 Neidhardt et a1.

[54] DUAL WRITING INSTRUMENT [76] Inventors: John G. Neidhardt; Joyce D. Neidhardt, both of 1232 Superior, Ventura, Calif. 93303 [22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 196,142

111 3,733,139 51 May 15, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,177,815 12/1958 France ..401/17 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorney-Francis X. Lojacono [57] ABSTRACT There is herein disclosed a dual-purpose writing device having a main, central body with opened ends therein, adapted to removably receive encl bodies, one of the end bodies being provided with a bore in which is disposed a retractable ink cartridge, the second end body being provided with a cavity adapted to become a chamber for storing of writing fluid when a felt writing tip is disposed within the opened end thereof. The device is also provided with a cap member designed to fit as a cover over either end body.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 DUAL WRITING INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a writing device and, more particularly, to a writing device having one end thereof adapted as a ball-point pen and the opposite end thereof being adapted for use as a felt-tip pen.

2. Description of the Prior Art I As is well known in the art, various types and designs of writing instruments and devices have been developed for different reasons and particular uses.

However, the most commonly used pens today are the ball-point pens and the felt-tip variety. Each type has different uses, according to the requirements of the various types of papers being manufactured. As an example, many business forms require the use of the hard tip of a ball point pen, whereby copies positioned below an original can be clearly marked simultaneously. This, however, cannot be done with a felt-tip pen. Hence,

. business forms, note books, etc., require various types of writing instruments whereby an individual needs the constant service of at least two different pens. Thus, there is needed a device whereby a single instrument is all that is required to be carried by an individual.

,To the applicants knowledge, there is no device having features wherein a combination of a ballpoint pen and a felt-tip pen has been designed as a single, simple device to eliminate the need to carry an excess of writing instruments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention discloses a writing device having a dual-purpose use, wherein a ballpoint pen is provided in one end of an instrument and a felt-tip pen is disposed at the opposite end thereof.

The dual writing device comprises a main, central body having opened ends adapted to receive a first end body and a second end body, the first end body being threadably secured to one end of the main body and provided with a bore along its length, and terminating at its free end with a small opening and at its opposite end for communication with an aligned bore disposed within the central main body. Received within these adjoining bores is a spring-loaded ink cartridge which is retractable by means of a slidable lug disposed within the main body bore and movable by a pin attached thereto. The pin is accessible for movement as it extends through a J-type slot formed in the wall of the main body.

The second end body is, also, threadably secured to the main body. However, it is provided with a cavity which is formed as a chamber, or reservoir, for storing writing fluid required for felt pen points. After the cavity is filled with fluid, a plug having a felt point secured therein is snugly fitted within the open end of the cavity, thereby creating the fluid reservoir.

Each end body is outwardly designed identically so as to receive a single cap which provides a cover for the pen point not being used. I

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION The present invention has for an important object a provision whereby a ball-point pen and a felt-tip pen are combined as one unit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a writing instrument that is capable of being reused by means of replaceable cartridges, both for the ball-point pen and felt-tip pen portions.

7 It is still another object of the invention to provide a dual-pen device having a felt point which is capable of being interchangeable with various sizes of points.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character whereby various colored fluids can be used by interchanging the cartridges.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character that is easy to service and maintain.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this character that is simple and rugged in construction.

Other characteristics, advantages and objects of this invention can be more readily appreciated from the following description and appended claims. When taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this description forms a part of the specification wherein like references and characters designate corresponding parts in several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ball-point end;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the ball point in an operating mode and the cover disposed on the felt pen portion of the dual pen; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a dual-purpose writing device, indicated generally by reference numeral 10. This device is illustrated as a pen having a main, central body 12 disposed intermediate the end-body members 14 and 16, respectively.

The first end body member 14 comprises an elongated, tapered shell 18 having a bore 20 disposed throughout its length, said bore terminating at the freeend wall 22 of the shell 18, the end wall being provided with an opening 24 therein. At the opposite end of the shell is a reduced-diameter, neck portion 26 being provided with external threads 28.

The bore 20 is interconnected and adjoins bore 30 of the main body 12 when the threaded neck 26 of end body 14 is received in the enlarged, threaded bore portion 32 of the bore 30, said enlarged bore 32 being provided with internal threads 34 for removably securing said end body 14.

Before said end body 14 is attached to the central body 12, there is inserted therein a ball-point cartridge 36, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Along with the cartridge, there is provided a coil spring 38 which constantly exerts a biasing force between the inner face of wall 22 and cars 39 of the cartridge 36, thereby causing the point of the pen to retract within the opening 24, as seen in FIG. 2. However, the retraction of the ballpoint cartridge 36 in a non-use mode of operation is permitted only when lug 40, which is slidably disposed within bore 30 of the central body 12, is positioned in the innermost portion of said bore 30. This is accomplished by moving pin 42, which is fixed to lug 40, to the elongated, slotted portion 44 of the J slot 45. Thus, to accomplish an operating mode, pin 44 is forced into the hooked, short slot, allowing the ballpoint head 46 to be exposed for use.

The central body 12 is also provided at its opposite end with a second threaded bore 48 having internal threads 49. This bore is adapted to receive the externally-threaded neck 50 of the second end-body member 16. Said end-body member 16 has its outer shell 52 tapered identically to that of the first end-body member 14 and is provided therein with a cavity 54 which is to be filled with writing fluid 55. When the fluid is disposed therein a plastic plug 56 is mounted in the open end of the cavity, forming a chamber, or reservoir, 58, for which the fluid flows into a felt tip 60. The tip 60 is fixedly secured within the plug 56. It should be noted that various colors can be used, as well as various sized tips having thin, medium or thick points. It is contemplated that the end-body member 16 will be constructed as a throw-away cartridge. However, it should, also, be noted that the plug 56 can be made to be removable, whereby fluid can be either changed or added, as well as interchangeable so that the varioussized felt points can be easily changed, as desired.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, a cap 61 is provided to cover one of said pen points. Each end-body member is of identical shape, allowing the cap 60 to snugly fit either end when necessary, said cap having a typical clip 62 for use when carrying the pen. The cap is preferably used on the felt pen body to protect the pen and user. The ball-point pen cartridge is retracted and, therefore, the device 10 is easily carried without danger of a mishap, yet the cap is disposed over the end-body member 14 when the felt pen is used. This way, it cannot be misplaced.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbefore described being merely by way of example, and we do not wish to be restricted to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, except as defined in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A dual-purpose writing instrument comprising:

a main, central body having threaded, open ends and a bore disposed intermediate said ends, one end of said bore communicating with one of said open ends;

a first end-body member adapted to be received in the open end communicating with said bore, said body member having a longitudinal bore therein, said longitudinal bore having an open end communicating with said bore of said main body, the free end of said body member being provided with an aperture communicating with said longitudinal bore, the opposite end thereof being provided with a threaded neck portion, whereby said first end body is removably secured to said main body;

an ink cartridge disposed within said longitudinal bore of said first end body;

a biasing means disposed within said longitudinal bore, whereby said cartridge is biased inwardly from said free end of said body;

means for positioning said cartridge in an operating and non-operating mode, said means disposed within said main, central body;

a second end-body member having a cavity therein, the open end of said cavity being adjacent the free end of said body member, the opposite end thereof being provided with a threaded neck portion, whereby said second end body is removably secured to said main body;

a writing fluid disposed within said cavity of said second end-body member; and

a felt pen tip secured within said opening in said free end of said second end body.

2. A dual-purpose writing instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein means for positioning said cartridge comprises: 7

a lug slidably disposed within said bore of said central, main body;

an adjusting pin attached to said lug; and

a slot having a hooked end located within the wall of said central body, whereby said pin projects therethrough for manual adjustment of said cartridge in either an operating or a non-operating position.

3. A dual-purpose writing instrument as recited in claim 2, wherein said felt pen tip comprises:

a plug member inserted within said free-end opening of said second end body, and having a passage therethrough; and

a felt tip received and secured within said passage of said plug member.

4. A dual-purpose writing instrument as recited in claim 3, wherein said slot in said central body is formed in a J configuration.

5. A dual-purpose writing instrument as recited in claim 4, wherein said first and second end body members are identical in configuration, said instrument including a cap cover adapted to be positioned on either end-body member. 

1. A dual-purpose writing instrument comprising: a main, central body having threaded, open ends and a bore disposed intermediate said ends, one end of said bore communicating with one of said open ends; a first end-body member adapted to be received in the open end communicating with said bore, said body member having a longitudinal bore therein, said longitudinal bore having an open end communicating with said bore of said main body, the free end of said body member being provided with an aperture communicating with said longitudinal bore, the opposite end thereof being provided with a threaded neck portion, whereby said first end body is removably secured to said main body; an ink cartridge disposed within said longitudinal bore of said first end body; a biasing means disposed within said longitudinal bore, whereby said cartridge is biased inwardly from said free end of said body; means for positioning said cartridge in an operating and nonoperating mode, said means disposed within said main, central body; a second end-body member having a cavity therein, the open end of said cavity being adjacent the free end of said body member, the opposite end thereof being provided with a threaded neck portion, whereby said second end body is removably secured to said main body; a writing fluid disposed within said cavity of said second endbody member; and a felt pen tip secured within said opening in said free end of said second end body.
 2. A dual-purpose writing instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein means for positioning said cartridge comprises: a lug slidably disposed within said bore of said central, main body; an adjusting pin attached to said lug; and a slot having a hooked end located within the wall of said central body, whereby said pin projects therethrough for manual adjustment of said cartridge in either an operating or a non-operating position.
 3. A dual-purposE writing instrument as recited in claim 2, wherein said felt pen tip comprises: a plug member inserted within said free-end opening of said second end body, and having a passage therethrough; and a felt tip received and secured within said passage of said plug member.
 4. A dual-purpose writing instrument as recited in claim 3, wherein said slot in said central body is formed in a ''''J'''' configuration.
 5. A dual-purpose writing instrument as recited in claim 4, wherein said first and second end body members are identical in configuration, said instrument including a cap cover adapted to be positioned on either end-body member. 